Stephen Redmond heading to Japan this weekend for Tsugaru Strait

FYI all, Stephen is leaving for Japan on Saturday, hoping to tackle Tsugaru next week to complete the Ocean's 7.

He is on Twitter, though knowing that he only tweets about once every 6 weeks, it's not a great communication tool to get him.

His blog/website is Oceans7.org. You'll find a great interview with Steve @Munatones about Tsugaru on it. Check out Steve M.'s training. I seem to recall Steve M. telling by email that during his early morning swims he'd only have one light on so he because expert at night swimming!

(We should start a thread on night swimming btw, I bloody love it).

Most of Stephen's updates go through Noel in Ballydehob, Cork to Facebook and Sandycove Island Swim Club chairman Liz, who tells me, so any updates I have I'll tweet, blog and/or drop here.

My last email from Stephen (Redmond) last weekend shows the struggle of all the training, fundraising and stress. But he is as everyone now realises, extremely tough, our ultimate compliment, I think. The party in Ballydehob should be spectacular.

So, for crossing that channel (strait?), does one swim from the east to the west? I'm trying to figure out what direction he's swimming by the spot tracker (zoomed way out). What's the 'typical' route for that swim?

Unfortunately Steve was pulled after 10am GMT, if you've seen his tracker you'll have seen he literally went in a circle with the current. I'm not certain but I think the forecast is bad for the next few days so I don't know if he'll take another shot at it. If it was anyone else, (except Lisa Cummins) they'd need a rest, but Steve is so strong mentally, but he may not get a chance.

Unfortunately Steve was pulled after 10am GMT, if you've seen his tracker you'll have seen he literally went in a circle with the current. I'm not certain but I think the forecast is bad for the next few days so I don't know if he'll take another shot at it. If it was anyone else, (except Lisa Cummins) they'd need a rest, but Steve is so strong mentally, but he may not get a chance.

And there are of course the financial implications.

Thanks for the updates and keep us posted. If the financial component isn't too steep, It would be great if he could get several days rest and give it one more try if the weather cooperates.